Taking Responsibility
by Geno77
Summary: All her fault. All her fault. Twilight, her friends, the whole TOWN- And there was only 2 ponies Rainbow Dash knew could help her fix her28th, her worst mistake of a prank. (A what-if from 28 Pranks Later)
1. Chapter 1

Light blue wings beat against the wind, shaping the air to propel the Pegasus through the darkening sky, mane whipping behind her in match to the rainbow-colored trail left in her wake. Her breath was panting, was eyes watering not from her speeds, but from the guilt that made her keep increasing her speed at a straining rate.

 _The mares were speeding through the town, trying to avoid the hazards that the townspeople had become in this haze. The trio of foals were casting fearful looks, trying to keep from screaming. . . until the cart AppleJack was driving came across the entranced figure of her own grandmother._

The looks on her friend's faces as she had flown above to route them to a safe path were **burned** into her mind, flashing any moment she wavered, any moment she started to slow. Onward she pushed herself, the dread and horror of what she had caused making her blood chill.

 _They'd found the barn- no one there, thank CELESTIA, they were in the clear at last! Rounding up and untethering AppleJack from the wagon, she stopped short of walking into the barn after them. She realized that this plan wouldn't work. That staying hidden here would only get them_ _ **trapped**_ _and the girls into worse danger, without an escape this time either. . . Reasoning hadn't worked, empathy hadn't, running wouldn't, there was_ nothing she could do to FIX this. . .

"But there's _someponies_ who **can,** " she muttered, squinting her eyes as the cone of white light started to form, before her signature flight maneuver let out a stunning explosion of the visible spectrum of light throughout the sky, moving her faster by bounds than before. Her wings weren't lax, however, and she worked just as hard to lessen the distance between her and-

 _"You guys stay here! Keep those cookies_ _ **out**_ _of reach and DON'T EAT THEM! I'm sorry I can explain, but I have to go!"_

 _"Where are ya goin'?!_

 _"The only place where i can get HELP!"_

The rising spirals atop the architecture of the country's capital city came into her line of sights, and the Pegasus did not slow, her Sonic Rainboom proceeding her from several miles back to clear the airspace.

Canterlot, a place of aristocracy, the elite and sometimes rather snooty, and home of the main rulers of Equestria. Currently, only this last detail mattered to the Element of Loyalty, as she burst through the throneroom's doors, slowed before to navigate through the hallways without causing damage.

Her hooves were shaking as they touched down, her wings _o e_. Not literally, but they were letting off smoke, and hanging awkwardly, sorely at her sides. Her vision was blurred as everything no longer was smears, dizziness from the drastic burn of energy so rapidly taking its toll.

Her bearings took a minute, a minute too much for her to bear being unable to speak and ask for help. A minute too long where the reality of what lay so far behind her was trapped in. A smooth, cool touch landed upon her shoulder, the contrast giving her body a shock. She finally caught her breath, evening it out so she could try to communicate. Her vision too had begun to return, spotted in some moments, but much more set and outlined.

One such outline of someone besides her brought her back into the moment.

"C-Ce-Celestia!"

She found the energy to try to fly up in response- key word being _tried_. Cream-colored wings caught her, easing her back to the floor. The Princess's smooth, measured voice helped to calm and refocus her.

"Rainbow Dash. What has brought you here, and to be in such a state? Where are the others?"

A deep breathe in. A deep breath out. Looking into her ruler's understanding eyes. . . Tears were being shed before she could stop them, and words following before she could even begin to care.

And so Rainbow Dash laid out the truth, the pranks and the tricks, how it had gone too far she now knew. How the town had seemed to have gotten sick, and how she was to blame. How she _knew_ only someone as powerful as Celestia and Luna, if available, could help given how Twilight and Spike were victims as well.

She found herself in a comforting embrace from the alicorn, as she shook from her crying, by the time she had gotten to the part about finding the barn. Her voice was hoarse, speech choked from hitched breath.

Exhaustion was a greater foe than Rainbow had anticipated. Facing her guilt, pushing her body beyond her limits, the stress of the consequences her choices had presented nearly everypony she had ever cared about, her whole community-!

It wasn't a wonder that she had passed out.

. . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . ..

. . . . .

. . .

Next thing she had known, the wind was rustling through her coat, though much more passively as the bulk of the air was being buffered by what was likely a spell. Lifting her head blearily, she saw the cutiemark of a sun, and knew _percisely_ who sat beside her. Now the feeling of something covering her made sense as well, as one of those elegant wings which had carried the biarch into the air ever Summer Sun Celebration was stretched protectively over her, as thought to make sure the smaller pony wouldn't fall off.

The ride was silent, Rainbow's anxiety nearly palpable with every successive wingbeat of the guards that flew them to Ponyville. And yet the Princess's extended wing seemed to have a counteracting effect of reassurance.

So long as the Princess was here, things could still be fixed. They had to be. There wasn't anything that Celestia couldn't do. (And so started the list she mentally banished from her thoughts of everything she knew for CERTAIN Celestia could, in fact, not do.)

When the chariot slid onto the grassy field outside of the normally bustling town during the day, it was clear the level of desolateness in the very air. Nothing stirred, the wind eerily absent, the light of the night sky obscured by uniformly grey clouds, unrelenting of their hoarding of the starlight. Insisting instead to give off a dull light that would not betray the time it was, nor how long Rainbow had been gone for.

Walking besides Celestia, taking in the scene, a thought went off like firework through her mind, giving her stomach a disorienting yank and planting her hooves in place: _What if I took too long, and everypony found the others?_

Her demeanor change was not unnoticed. At being asked to reveal what had caused it and doing so, her sight was filled with a flash of white, golden-like magic. For Celestia to teleport the 2 of them directly to the barn- it was a strange, minor comfort to see first-hoof just how serious this was to her mighty ruler as it was to her.

The sight before them was. . . odd. Not what was expected by either mare, that was for certain.

The entire town, scattered about the fields and pathways, looking normal and healthy, if not a mite frantic or confused, depending on what equine caught your eye. The sudden appearance of one of the most powerful deities in all Equestia had a rather predictable effect upon the proceedings that had been going on. However, it was the mobbing _Rainbow Dash_ received that was the remarkable thing.

All her friends, hugging her, talking over one another, apologies and questions and incoherent mumbling from Pinkie as she was likely eating too many marshmallows all at once again. She weakly smiled as she felt Scootaloo's shuddering squeeze, and quietly reassured the foal that their honorary big sister was fine.

Amidst all this, Twilight had pulled away first, not one for too long a group hug, even after all this time. And certainly not after everything that had just happened, what with the prank falling through and the panic at trying to locate the speedy weathermare before things could go farther south.

The all too familiar tone her former teacher sounding with quiet restrain into her ear from behind her all but confirmed that this hope of keeping any incident localized was as good as garbage now.

" _We will have_ _ **much**_ _to speak upon with why your friend was in such despair,_ after _you have cleaned up whatever you have set into motion, Twilight. Am I_ **clear** ** _?"_**

A swallow, outwardly the smile maintained. Ah the perks of this practicing being a princess. Saving face.

"Y-Yes m-Ma'am."

Rainbow Dash didn't notice this exchange, feeling such _relief_ at having her friends all around her, having everyone safe and sound. Her eyes watered, but from joy, even though no tears fell. One thing was fro certain that night in her mind: She was never trying prank-food **eve N.**

AN: A little What-If off of "28 Pranks Later". I've been wondering- why NOT go to Celestia? She seems like the best choice at that point, and something Rainbow might take to be her responsibility to get as it was her prank in the first place. She couldn't bring the cookies as they might fall and "infect" other creatures- remember, Spike and Fluttershy's animals "got sick" too, so too high a risk, and anything carried, pony or object, would just slow her down on a flight needing her best speed for.

I'll leave it up to you to imagine how long it took her to reach Canterlot to get her so worn. And who knows, if there's any interest, maybe a follow-up on that little _chat_ Celestia and Twilight are going to have. . . .

Hope you enjoyed!


	2. Becuase It's Nearly Midnight, Why Not?

Given that it seems I've garnered the attention of a fellow reader of fiction in a way that only brought irritation and confusion, per their general request, I'll clarify my intent in writing this short fic, and its soon-to-come follow up in light of getting feedback of interest and free time of my own.

The comment in question:

Guest chapter 1 . Jun 27

Okay. Stop hating Rainbow Dash. (I just read the authour's note and it said something about Rainbow responsability something and I assumed that you meant that Rainbow deserved the torment as if you hated her) Yes, bronies are allowed to not like her behaviour in episodes that actually do have her being like Twilight in the wedding but when it comes to 28 Pranks Later or The Mysterious Mare Do Well that is when you are NOT allowed to dislike a Rainbow's behaviour for her pranking. If there's anypony who deserves hatred and less screentime it's the rest of the mane 6 and not Rainbow. Speaking of hatred and humilated characters, I am so confused now. Not with this fanfic but with why bronies continue watching the show even though recent episodes (and possibly future ones) are so bad they all form an alliance to put a stop to a character's behaviour even though they tolerated it when the same things happened in season 1. Seriously, how is behaviour in other episodes different then what happened in the first season which started the whole fandom in the first place? If bronies don't like many episodes from season 2-7 then why were they able to tolerate that sort of behaviour in season 1? I don't see any difference between bronies enjoying humilated ponies in season 1 to then deciding to hate that behaviour in future seasons. I don't know, this question has kinda been confusing me. Mind though, I'm a brony myself but I don't like EVERY episode of season 1 considering they'd either be a little too boring and lacking that Disney-ish Timon and Pumbaa/Spongebob humour and references that we see in season 5. I don't understand. If every episode of season 1 started the Brony fandom then why did they suddenly start hating episodes from later seasons. How is not liking ponies' behaviour in episodes from other episodes any different then enjoying their same behaviour from the first season? Do you think maybe you could read this review and answer my question for me please? Seriously, please update this fanfic with a message and answer this question! Please?

Now, seeing as time's plentiful at this hour where I am, I'll break this down as to answer this as fully as possible for ya.

"Guest chapter 1 . Jun 27"

-Should have done this with account in the best case senario as we could open a dialouge and converse rather than take up space on the story itself, but what's done is done. Not on me if you won't get notification of when I answer you.

"Okay. Stop hating Rainbow Dash. (I just read the authour's note and it said something about Rainbow responsability something and I assumed that you meant that Rainbow deserved the torment as if you hated her)"

-Ah ha ha. Clearly then, not fully. I never said "I hate Rainbow Dash" within the fic, and when reading it should be evident I'd think that I don't portray RD as deserving what happened. I just things from more of her thoughts during the prank... You only read the author's note, and yet took all the time to give me such a... worded, paragraph?

"Yes, bronies are allowed to not like her behaviour in episodes that actually do have her being like Twilight in the wedding but when it comes to 28 Pranks Later or The Mysterious Mare Do Well that is when you are NOT allowed to dislike a Rainbow's behaviour for her pranking."

-Ah now, _not_ _ **allowed**_? Now, why would controlling the opinions of others to fit your own bias and perceptions sound a bit off-key? Also, as an aside, I didn't mind her characterization in either of those episodes. I have family and friends who have had their own times where ego or ambition have gotten the better of them. Still makes your capitalization rather powerless.

"If there's anypony who deserves hatred and less screentime it's the rest of the mane 6 and not Rainbow."

-Yet another opinion as statement! Nice use of the ponified phrase of 'anyone' by the way.

"Speaking of hatred and humilated characters, I am so confused now. Not with this fanfic but with why bronies continue watching the show even though recent episodes (and possibly future ones) are so bad they all form an alliance to put a stop to a character's behaviour even though they tolerated it when the same things happened in season 1. Seriously, how is behaviour in other episodes different then what happened in the first season which started the whole fandom in the first place?"

-Once you clarify that your inqury is no longer congruent with what I have written then you should perhaps realize it does not have a place here in the **comment section of the STORY.** No? Also, bad sentence structure in a very rambling way makes what you put here somewhat incomprehensible. Anyone able to figure this out, take a swing you have my blessing.

"If bronies don't like many episodes from season 2-7 then why were they able to tolerate that sort of behaviour in season 1? I don't see any difference between bronies enjoying humilated ponies in season 1 to then deciding to hate that behaviour in future seasons. I don't know, this question has kinda been confusing me."

-Why were you comming to ME when this was the ONLY pony-related piece on my account and I hadn't touched it in a LONG time? For your best of luck I'd JUST been catching up on things and do enjoy the show. And the most I can give you is: DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DIFFERENT TASTES AND OPINIONS. That is _all._

"Mind though, I'm a brony myself but I don't like EVERY episode of season 1 considering they'd either be a little too boring and lacking that Disney-ish Timon and Pumbaa/Spongebob humour and references that we see in season 5. I don't understand."

-Oh you seem to be repeating that last phrase there a lot in this writing you've sent me. Also: PREFERENCES. Learn up on them. Also you being a fan of the show with a lack of grasp upon the differences of opinion and the whole idea of "Love and Tolerate" given your previous command statements.

"If every episode of season 1 started the Brony fandom then why did they suddenly start hating episodes from later seasons. How is not liking ponies' behaviour in episodes from other episodes any different then enjoying their same behaviour from the first season?"

-Well that's easy! **_Not every episode of season one STARTED the "Brony" fandom_** _._ To put it simply, there are plenty of episodes overlooked and ever despised by fans of the show back when they first air and even to this day, over 7 years later. Everyone has those episodes that got them invested, and with nearly every closer and premiere there have been new waves of fans brought in from the spectacle of animation and action and characters on display. The fandom is made of people, not a conglomerate that completely agrees or was made all at once and has since then remained the same.

Once you get that, maybe you'll stop being as confused or not being able to understand concepts and other opinions differing than your own.

"Do you think maybe you could read this review and answer my question for me please? Seriously, please update this fanfic with a message and answer this question! Please?"

-Weeell looky-here at what **I** just did! Oh and buddy you had WAY more than one question. Next time use a forum as ya platform, not my stories. Conversations work best for duration in PM (Private Messaging, get an account its not hard and plenty have some here for that express purpose). Oh and since you asked so considerately, it'd only be fair if in turn you, maybe, give my story here a read through before sending my a chapter of your own.

This IS a good chance to say this though-

FOLLOW UP TO BE WRITTEN AND POSTED SOON.

Seeing as I'm caught up with season 6-7 as it were, during the hiatus I can write what I was thinking would be good follow-up, and hopefully it will work well. Till then, Goodnight!


End file.
